Tanpenshuu
by Hime no Ichigo
Summary: Tanpenshuu: collection of short stories, collected short stories. English is a funny language. For Ocean. Some shounen ai -- Puzzleshipping.
1. Striving

This was originally planned to be a thank-you present for Ocean, since she has taken time out of her busy schedule to edit/proofread my Forensics paper and provide helpful feedback all the way back in February. But she found a loophole (can it be considered as such? xD) and turned this into an exchange – thank you for the opportunity to improve my writing and the works, Ocean-san! (_glomps_)

As for the overall-story title, please don't ask why I picked a Japanese term. I seriously ran out of ideas on any creative spin on 'collection'.

**Striving  
**By – _Hime no Ichigo_

**Genre**: General/Romance  
**Rating**: PG  
**Pairings**: implied 'Atemu'/Yuugi  
**Story Type**: Drabble/one-shot  
**Summary**: Mothers have this uncanny ability to jump to conclusions, much to his alarm.

**Disclaimer**: Yuugiou is the property of Kazuki Takahashi.

**Spoilers**: None; AU.

**Warnings/Notes**: Nothing too serious, I think...

--

**jobbernowl **(JOB-uh-nowl), _noun_: A blockhead.

– from French jobard (stupid, gullible), from Old French jobe (stupid) & noll (top or crown of the head)

--

"Is there any reason why you stay out so late on school nights, young man?" His mother placed her hands on her hips in a reprimanding manner. The clock behind her chimed six. "Well?"

"No," he replied quietly, staring at the ground. "I was at the library studying, Mother."

"Why can't you do that at home?"

"Because..." he faltered.

His sister decided to pop in at that exact moment. "Brother wasn't at the library – I was there earlier myself to borrow some books; he was at school in the art room. He was painting!"

"_Painting_?" His mother asked incredulously. "Don't you have enough art supplies in your room? Why do you need to stay at school to do _that_?"

"I..." He shot a glare at his sister before continuing. "The project's due next week and I wanted the teacher's opinion on it. I want to have it as perfect as possible."

"Hey Mom, did you know Brother and his art teacher look a lot like each other? It's so weird!"

He suppressed a groan. He _really_ didn't want his mother to think on a tangent; parents had this wild imagination that he couldn't, for the life of him, comprehend. "Can you _please_ go to your room and not make things worse?" He hissed at his sister. She giggled and skipped out the room, grabbing a packet of Pocky along the way.

"So, your art teacher—"

"Motou-sensei."

"—Motou-san. I hope you aren't staying behind because of him."

Why did his mother immediately assume this? Just because he wasn't straight... "Mother, I already said that this is for my _project_. It has nothing to do with my attra—" He snapped his mouth shut, dismayed at what he just revealed.

"_Atemu_!" She gaped at him. "I will not have you act like a...a...silly _schoolgirl_ and go blindly after a teacher. This is unacceptable behaviour, young man. I don't care if you do poorly in this course – this...infatuation cannot continue. I will not tolerate this – wait until your father hears about this!"

"Hear about what?"

She stopped. Whether or not she was angry at her son, she had no real intention to tell her husband – he would simply make things worse. "Nothing," she lied smoothly. "I was just saying how Atemu should spend less time with his video games and more with his books. He seemed distracted lately." Well, it wasn't completely true, nor was it entirely false.

"I see," he was sceptical, but he decided to not push the matter further. "All right then, Atemu, go to your room and do your homework."

"Yes Father."

He closed the door to his bedroom and punched his pillows angrily. How dare his mother insinuate that he was too wrapped up in his teacher to worry about his academics? He wasn't stupid – he knew how to allot his time, manage to get things done, and have solutions to complex problems at the snap of his fingers (unlike a certain younger sibling who simply didn't know when to keep her mouth shut). He wasn't stupid...he wasn't a jobbernowl! Sure his teacher was good-looking (_and looks too young to be a teacher_, he added silently), but it wasn't like he was going to stalk his teacher and learn about his habits and his favourite colour and favourite food and...

He laughed. Parents just didn't understand. They may have seen more than he had in his seventeen years, but they still didn't understand the different definition of 'infatuation' in his dictionary.

_- Owari -_

**Story Word Count**: 585

**Authoress' Notes**: Hmm. The first version certainly didn't involve Atemu having a family. (_purses lips_) Oh well. I hope I used the word correctly and in context. e.e

There is one more to this 'collection', and, uh, I don't know when I'll finish writing it.

_posted 05/23/08_


	2. Reminiscence

Happy birthday, Ocean-san!! x3

I hope you like it.

...even though I made Yami/Atemu more feminine. u.u

**Reminiscence  
**By – _Hime no Ichigo_

**Genre**: General  
**Rating**: G  
**Pairings**: still more or less one-sided Yami("Atemu")/Yuugi  
**Story Type**: Drabble/one-shot  
**Summary**: Upon visiting his high school, some memories are brought up again.

**Disclaimer**: Yuugiou is the property of Kazuki Takahashi.

**Spoilers**: It's like a "sequel" to Striving (see "chapter one" of this "story"), so there might be some background information (e.g. Atemu's feelings, cough cough) from there you need to make sense of this.

**Warnings/Notes**: This takes place in Sendai, Japan. Names are in "Surname First-name" format.

--

**vilipend** (VIL-uh-pend) _verb tr._: 1. To treat someone with contempt; 2. To disparage.  
– from Old French vilipender, from Latin vilipendere, from vilis (cheap, worthless) & pendere (to consider)  
– the words vilify, vile, revile, and venal are all cousins of this word

--

Several years passed. Since the beginning of his second year allowed him some time, he made up his mind to visit his high school.

"Motou-sensei?"

Motou Yuugi peered from behind two easels, and he saw his former teacher's face light up in recognition. "Atemu! It's so nice to see you again...don't just _stand_ there, get in here!" He pulled up a step stool and patted on it, motioning for Atemu to take a seat. "How was your first year of university?"

Atemu walked in, feeling slightly apprehensive, but managed to make it to the stool with relative ease. "It's been an all right year...though the professors are nothing compared to you."

Yuugi grinned. "Please, stop flattering me, I'm just a high school teacher, I'm sure the professors are better... You haven't changed one bit, Atemu."

He blushed, hoping it was a compliment. "Ah..."

The bell rang. Atemu started to get up. "You can stay if you want. They're continuing with still lifes today, so I don't have to instruct them as much."

"I won't be a bother, Motou-sensei?"

"Of course not." He waved at him to sit back down. "You can help me keep an eye on them. And stop calling me 'Motou-sensei', I'm not your teacher anymore."

The students filed in, and Yuugi clapped his hands for attention, never noticing Atemu's deepened blush and whispered confession that it was a good habit.

--

The clock was ticking steadily when Yuugi's voice sliced through the air. "Ito-san! This is the third time this week – I _specifically_ warned you to keep those comments to yourself if all you will do is vilipend others. Art is beautiful; art is expression! There are no rights or wrongs in this room. To the principal's office please, Ito-san, and _don't_ make me repeat myself."

Ito Hiromi shuffled out, grumbling. After the door slid shut, Yuugi turned to the other. "Don't mind his words, Yamamoto-san."

She sniffled and nodded, picking back up the piece of charcoal she dropped when insults started spilling into her ears.

"Okay, get back to work, we still have forty-five minutes left." Yuugi resumed his class-check before apologizing to Atemu beside him. "I'm sorry you had to see that... I forgot that this class is usually more _difficult_ than my other art classes."

Atemu chuckled lightly. "That's nothing. Do you remember _our_ class? Now _that_ was bad."

Yuugi laughed. Atemu liked that laugh. "Oh yes, how can I forget... You, Katsuya, and Hiroto, grumbling all through the first time you were here because it was a mandatory course. I still can't believe the mess you three made; it was a good thing that acrylics could be washed off. Do you realize how much it took me to get it out of my clothes? Honestly, you guys were such troublemakers..."

"You managed to make us like art by the end of the year."

"That was no small feat, believe me..."

And they continued chatting, pausing only to address the students if needed be, until Atemu realized it was near sunset.

"Oh! Mother will be expecting me home, I have bothered you so much today, I'm so sorry, Motou-sensei—"

"_Atemu_, it's okay, really. I didn't notice it was getting so late... Do you need a ride home? I'll be able to after I clean up, if you want."

"..."

"I'll take your silence as a yes."

Atemu stared determinedly out the window, willing the blush away.

Outside, one of the cherry blossom petals fell from its tree. Atemu decided this was the best start to a new school year.

"Are you coming?"

_- Owari -_

**Story Word Count**: 599

**Authoress' Notes**: I didn't expect this to turn out like it was supposed to be linked to the other one. (_scratches head_)

And this concludes Tanpenshuu, until other 'strange' words pop up and I get the inspiration to write about them. Next on the line to be updated is, of course, In All Due Humour and Seriousness.

_posted 07/05/08_


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